The Copland Corral

[vandermolen]

Please forgive me, Vandermolen, but I had to separate your comments from mine lest there be misconstrual or confusion.
Very interesting post. When I was about 16 I remember asking my classical music loving elder brother what Vaughan Williams's music was like, having seen some LPs in a shop, and he said 'like an English Copland' and as I liked my brother's LP of Copland's Third Symphony, I went on to explore Vaughan Williams with great pleasure. I am also a great fan of Copland's Organ Symphony - if you like that you might like Malcolm Williamson's Organ Symphony too.

Needless to say, it's gratifying that someone shares my assessment of Copland vis-à-vis Vaughan Williams, at least as it pertains to the more pastoral aspects of their respective idioms.   
ue to
Is the Williamson composition you reference the Organ Concerto?  I can't seem to find an Organ Symphony.

Moldyoldie,

I'm the one who should apologise!

Yes, sorry about the uncharacteristic (haha) c--k up on two fronts, due to a) computer illiteracy b) garbled information.

Yes, the Williamson work is the Organ Concerto, dedicated to Boult, whom I saw conduct the work at the Proms - possibly with Williamson on the organ.

[Guido]

Just listened to Quiet City for the first time, and then had to listen again immediately! What a beautiful little piece this is. I've had the recording for ages, but have never got round to listening - I didn't know that he'd composed anything as lovely as Appalaichan Spring, but it turns out he did!

I smell a transcription...

[karlhenning]

Just listened to Quiet City for the first time, and then had to listen again immediately! What a beautiful little piece this is. I've had the recording for ages, but have never got round to listening - I didn't know that he'd composed anything as lovely as Appalaichan Spring, but it turns out he did!

Quiet City is lovely.

The Corral Nocturne from Rodeo always melts me, too.

[vandermolen]

Just listened to Quiet City for the first time, and then had to listen again immediately! What a beautiful little piece this is. I've had the recording for ages, but have never got round to listening - I didn't know that he'd composed anything as lovely as Appalaichan Spring, but it turns out he did!

I smell a transcription...

Quiet City is a masterpiece - a most beautiful and affecting score. The suite from The Tender Land is a lesser known favourite of mine.

[hornteacher]

Love all the above.  "Grovers Corners" from "Our Town" is also gorgeous.

[vandermolen]

Love all the above.  "Grovers Corners" from "Our Town" is also gorgeous.

Yes, it's part of Copland's 'Music for the Movies' which I play a lot.

[karlhenning]

I'm not a complainin' man, but there just ain't love enow for the Sextet.

[Guido]

Yes, it's part of Copland's 'Music for the Movies' which I play a lot.

*ordered* Looks like a very nice CD...

I like the Sextet alot, but for me the Piano Quartet is the mutt's nuts.

[karlhenning]

Hardly sounds like praise, that expression, does it? 

[karlhenning]

Wry repartee aside, I must seek yon Piano Quartet out . . . .

[snyprrr]

I was just going to say no one has mentioned my fav Copland yet, the Piano Quartet (on ASV...NOT Nonesuch). It's perfect serial/American. I think it totally stands out in beauty from any other 50s-60s piano/strings work. The ASV collection is absolutely great. The music really reminds me of the cover, a high high view of New York bathed in golden late afternoon.

And talk about no love for the greatest string Nonet OF THE CENTURY!!! Moody, broody, baby! The only other I know is by Diamond (find a third and make a great cd!!!)

And no love for Copland's Schoenberg-meets-Ruggles CONNOTATIONS in a word: stentorian. Ugly, craggy, uncompromising, and totally great. Not a favorite of Mrs. Kennedy at the premier, hint hint...great stuff. The Bernstein/Sony is to be preferred, but the later Bernstein/DG is no where near as "bad" as it's made out to be. For me, it works.

And no love for 1969's INSCAPE, Copland's reeeally gnarly ear splitting work. Perfect 1969!!!

What of Copland's planned 1969 SQ Any ideas?

I've gone through all the Sony box sets. NOT a fan of the Organ Symphony/Piano Concerto. I really like the Clarinet Cto., though, Karl

No one has mentioned what is, for me, a very strange/interesting/Hindemith/Stravinsky work, the Dance Panels. Not to mention the even more enigmatic Statements.

And the Symphonic Ode IS in the top 3. Isn't there one more work of this period that I'm missing?

The Sym. No.3 leaves me colder than...any other DG cd! To me, an unholy mix of Harris and DSCH...communist propanganda.

Strange how I'm thinking Copland/Honegger right now...

Piano music...check!

I also like the Music for a New City? (not the "New Theater" piece: like that one too). Grogh. And then there's all those little "fanfares", and "Down a Country Lane?" (something like that), and some little trifles I like (string and flute pieces from 1971).

But the Americana stuff makes me gag... sorry, it will make me say words I don't want to. App.Spr. I can deal with, but it all sounds like propaganda too me. Sorry. Copland: not my favorite person.

[karlhenning]

And no love for Copland's Schoenberg-meets-Ruggles CONNOTATIONS

Another piece which has long been on my To-Listen-To list.

The Sym. No.3 leaves me colder than...any other DG cd! To me, an unholy mix of Harris and DSCH...communist propanganda.

I like it a lot, though my first listen was "blind", having chanced on it somewhere mid-3rd mvt on the car radio. Don't know what performance that was.

Try the Judd/Ennzedd Phil on Naxos!

[karlhenning]

Very nice new Copland CD.

I love "The Tender Land Suite" and feel that it should be as well known as the Appalachian Spring:

How does the Piano Concerto grab you, Jeffrey?

[not edward]

I've been enjoying this particular Copland disc of late.



Having no alternative readings of these works, I'm not sure how good people would find these performances when up against competition, however. Any opinions?

[karlhenning]

Having no alternative readings of these works, I'm not sure how good people would find these performances when up against competition, however. Any opinions?

The only piece I have a comparison for is Dorati for the Dance Symphony, and with no disrespect for Dorati, Alsop holds her own very nicely here.

[karlhenning]

The Lincoln Portrait was part of the Boston Pops Fourth of July Gala, and I was surprised how well I liked it.  (I won't take all the blame for the fact that I started the concert predisposed not to like it.)

Apart from the chirpy section which precedes the narration, I really enjoyed practically the whole piece.  The narrator in this case was not any celebrity, and that probably helped, too . . . too often it's sort of a "star turn" for a public figure, and it winds up being as much about that Special Appearance, as about any old cat named Lincoln.

[karlhenning]

I just picked up this CD:



Chandos released the CD in 2000, but my copy is a later Musical Heritage Society issue. It opens with Copland's "Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra, with Harp and Piano" , a piece I was unfamiliar with until now. Even though the work was apparently commissioned for Benny Goodman, it seems less Jazz-influenced to my ears than many of Copland's other compositions.

Yes; Copland did not feel obliged to 'compose to type' there.

[karlhenning]

This is the recording you want.  Its all around great.

I don't think I've thanked you yet for the suggestion, Brett!

[tjguitar]

don't know if this has been mentioned in the thread but it looks like EMI has reissued Slatkin's recordings of the complete Appalachian Spring & Billy The Kid in a dirt cheap set:



It is however, not including the original couplings from the Appalachian Spring disc: Cortege macabre from "Grohg, 3. Letter From Home, 4. John Henry.

[tjguitar]

It would seem those three tracks are on the following:



I might have to pick these up, 4 discs of Copland for $23....